Thursday, July 12, 2012

Marvel's October previews reviewed

Remind me to take the week of San Diego Comic-Con International off next year. I'm pretty sure no one is reading comics blogs this week...at least, not little personal ones like this, not when 99% of the comics community seems to be concentrated in one city at the moment, and a year's worth of comics news and hype is all being released at the same time.

Well, I'm in Ohio, so I'm gonna soldier on, even if I'm playing to an emptier than usual room.

So, how about Marvel's publishing plans for October, huh? The month their "Marvel NOW!" (remember to emphasize that last word if you're reading aloud) starts with the first of their somewhat rejiggered titles, and the final issues of a bunch of their series, which are going to be relaunched with new #1s over the course of the next few months.

I didn't understand half the words in the solicitation text, but I like the cover for this month's issue of Astonishing X-men. Save for What's Her Face's costume, which I can't really make any sense of, mechanically-speaking.

I like this David Aja cover for Hawkeye #3 as much as I despise John Tyler Christopher's cover for Dark Avengers #182 (so Marvel is renumbering many titles with new #1's, and just attaching ridiculously high numbers seemingly at random to other series...?), which I will not post, so as not to hurt your eyes.

What, Thanos is in the movie?! Geez, how about a spoiler warning, Solicitations Writer Guy!

Oh hey, you know who they shoulda got to do a miniseries on Thanos' origin? Thanos creator Jim Starlin.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #16.1
BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (W) • DAVID MARQUEZ (A)
COVER BY SARA PICHELLI
• The Daily Bugle is on the hunt to find out everything they can about the new Spider-Man
• What they discover will surprise them, you…and him!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$2.99

A special ".1", jumping-on point issue for an Utlimate book, part of a line that was designed as easily-accessible takes on the characters that would be free from all the direct market audience-tolerated static that some find so unappealing about comics, like relaunches, renumberings and big, inter-book crossovers?

Oh wait.

Well yes, a "jumping-on point" for a book that's only been around a little over a year, featuring a character who has only existed that long probably doesn't need a jumping-on point at this point, but do note this special only costs $2.99; I guess the idea with this is it's an introductory price, and that Marvel's hoping new readers like it so much that they'll be willing to pay $4 a month to follow the continuing adventures of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

UNCANNY AVENGERS #1
RICK REMENDER (W) • JOHN CASSADAY (A&C)
Variant Covers by ADI GRANOV, DANIEL ACUNA, SKOTTIE YOUNG & TWO MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED!
Sketch Variant Cover by JOHN CASSADAY & TBA
Deadpool Call Me Maybe Variant by TBA
Uncanny & Avengers Variants also available
Blank Cover also available
ALL NEW ONGOING!
• THIS IS IT! The greatest era of the Marvel Universe starts here! From the ashes of AvX an all-new, all-different Avengers assemble!
• Captain America begins his quest to create a sanctioned Avengers unit comprised of Avengers and X-Men, humans and mutants working together – so why is Professor Xavier’s dream more at risk than ever?
• The first attack of the most loathsome villain in history will quake the Marvel Universe forever!
• The funeral of one of Marvel’s greatest heroes!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

—I just can't see how John Cassaday draws a monthly comic book. Maybe if Brian Michael Bendis were writing it, and half the panels were just headshots of people with their mouths open, but I don't know.

—This strikes me as a sort of weird concept, given how long various X-People and mutants have been Avengers (Beat, Wolverine, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver), but I suppose it makes sense coming out of Avengers Vs. X-Men.

—I hate the new Scarlet Witch costume, which is basically a red Black Widow costume with her forehead tiara.

—That's a pretty neat cover design though...I imagine that will pop off the racks pretty well.

—I'm interested in seeing that Skottie Young variant; I bet that looks very different than the fifteen other variants.

About Me

J. Caleb Mozzocco is a freelance writer and (extremely) amateur(-ish) artist who lives and works in Ohio.
This is his blog.
You can reach him at jcalebmozzocco@gmail.com.
Creators and publishers who would like their books considered for review here and/or anywhere else he contributes can feel free to contact him at the address above.
Editors and publishers of respectable publications who would like Caleb to write about comics for them are also welcome to contact him and offer him work. He loves money.